


Confectionary Affection

by LadyAudentium



Category: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 10:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24349522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAudentium/pseuds/LadyAudentium
Summary: Running and owning a cafe above the Midgar plate was anything but a slice of cake, but it was Kalika's passion above all else. She should have known that the one day she forgot to eat a proper breakfast would set her down a new path she never anticipated. Trouble rears its head when you least expect it, and in Midgar, trouble is known by one name: Shinra. AngealxOC (Pre-canon)
Relationships: Angeal Hewley/Original Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	1. Confectionary

**I really don't know what to say guys. This took me by storm the same as the rest of you, but I've recently submerged myself in some Dummy Thicc Angeal propaganda and my eyes have been opened to a new possibility. I wanted to reference my last Angeal story for ideas (because this is the second time i'm using this character for an Angeal story lmaoo) but sadly all of the chapters have been lost.**

**I'm still getting back into the swing of things with Final Fantasy so please let me know if I made any egregious errors!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy**

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"Morning, Kali!" the bell above the bakery door jingled a girl's entry. The sun had only just risen, and the misty light was beginning to illuminate the darkened dining area. She turned on the lights and the cafe was brought to life.

The colorful pictures of flowers and fruit backed by a cheerful, pastel blue paint with fluffy white clouds adorned the walls; an attempt to help people forget about the metal jungle they lived in.

Another young woman was already present, working diligently in the kitchen, "Good morning, Anri!" Kali -a nickname for Kalika- called from the kitchen where she was just pulling a fresh batch of cupcakes out of the oven. The previous batch was still cooling on the counter and there was enough batter left for a half batch afterwards. Carefully pulling the red velvet cupcakes out of the tin, they were gently set on the wire cooling rack.

"It smells so good in here! I don't know how you can be so productive so early!" the cheery girl announced from behind the blue haired baker as she entered the small, but well equipped kitchen.

"Don't touch those scones!" Kalika warned her, turning sharply and brandishing the batter covered spatula as threateningly as she could.

The brown haired girl jumped backwards, hastily pulling her hand away from the blueberry scones that were cooled and ready to be set out in the display case. Her green eyes were open wide with shock and guilt at being caught red handed. "I wasn't!" she cried, a blush adorned her cheeks, "Stingy!" was the last thing she noted before walking in a huff back out to the dining area to bring the chairs down from the tables and open the register.

Chuckling, Kalika went back to filling the last of the cupcake tin with the batter, and put them into the preheated oven. Setting the timer for 20 minutes, she turned back and began to pipe icing onto the newly cooled cupcakes, brushing a wayward piece of periwinkle hair back behind her ear, "Once I finish these cupcakes, we'll have some breakfast before the cafe opens."

"Yay! That's why you're the best, Kali!"

She grinned, and focused on the swirls of cream cheese icing. They had to be perfect. The world fell away as the blue haired woman concentrated. Her hands worked deftly to gracefully swirl the icing around in a perfect circle. The smell of the sugar and the freshly baked cake lulled her into a peaceful haze of concentration, soon she was lost in her work.

Kalika swirled the icing onto the cupcake and then dusted with gold sprinkles before topping with a tempered chocolate swirl for decoration. The oven beeped, signalling the last batch of red velvet cupcakes were finished baking. Quickly switching gears, Kalika grabbed her oven gloves and pulled the cakes out of the oven. Like the previous batch, she carefully pulled them out of the tin before she set them on the newly vacant wire rack to cool.

The mini chocolate cakes were next as she switched piping bags to the one with strawberry icing and layered a generous amount over the top and sides before smoothing it out. She grabbed a third bag with a decorating tip attached and began to detail swirls and dots of vanilla. The cakes were finished with a large dollop of vanilla and a sliced strawberry spread in a fan shape squished into the icing.

Afterwards, the second batch of red velvet cupcakes were cool enough to be iced. The young woman treated them the same as the first, gracefully swirling the icing-

"KALI!"

She screamed and fisted her hands in shock, causing cream cheese icing to splatter all over her white apron and the cupcake she was currently icing, ruining it.

"WHAT?!" Kalika yelled, crimson eyes flashing with anger over being disturbed and simultaneously ruining the perfectly innocent cupcake before her.

"It's nearly opening time and we still haven't eaten the breakfast you promised me." Anri deadpanned, crossing her arms to glare more effectively.

The baker glanced at the clock which sure enough read 6:47, the cafe was due to open in less than 15 minutes; Anri had gotten here at 6:00am. Kalika had gotten lost in her decorating for over 45 minutes while her coworker had completed the rest of the opening duties.

"I uhh…" the silence hung in the air.

"So… since you forgot -again- we'll call it even if you give me that ruined cupcake and one of the blueberry scones, deal?" the Cheshire grin over Anri's normally innocent features was strangely fitting.

Sighing in defeat knowing she was right, Kalika handed her the splattered cupcake and one of the freshly glazed blueberry scones. She took the opportunity to grab one for herself before walking to the front of the house to make a nice cup of coffee to enjoy before the cafe opened for the morning rush.

Together, they sat at one of the tables and watched as the sun continued to rise and brighten the cafe further. Both girls sat in comfortable silence, at ease with each others' presence. Plus, once the cafe was open, silence and rest would become a distant memory, this was the calm before the storm.

The clock on the wall chimed 7:00am as Kalika sipped the last drop of her beverage. "Well, that's the end of our peace and quiet." getting up, she placed her empty cup behind the counter to wash later and went to unlock the door, officially opening the bakery and cafe, ' _Confectionary Affection'_.

Almost immediately customers came streaming in and with a merry, "Welcome" or "Good morning" over her shoulder, Kalika hurried into the back where the kitchen was. The sooner she was out of sight, the better.

Making sure the bandana covering her brightly colored hair was still securely in place, Kalika stepped into the safety of the back kitchen. Another day, another adventure. Rolling up her sleeves, she began to place each of the completed cupcakes on a tray and brought them out to the front.

Anri was busy chatting with customers, making coffees, and distributing pastries from the freshly stocked counter. The atmosphere was light and happy, people were laughing and enjoying themselves. Even those who were on their way to work seemed happy to be here, to enjoy the cheerful decorations, and a good cup of coffee. Possibly their only joy of the day.

"Wow… look at this place, who knew a cheesy place like this existed above the Plate?" a male voice mocked from the door above the cheerful din of the shop.

"Ugh, I know right? It makes my eyes hurt with all the color." an equally mocking voice replied. Together they laughed.

Kalika's eyes snapped up to the two men entering the cafe, on their backs were swords and under their arms were three eyed helmets.

"Excuse me" she called out as the cafe silenced, "there are no weapons permitted inside this cafe, please leave them outside or in the designated area beside the door." she gestured to the stands and wall racks for proper weapon storage.

The Shinra guards made sounds of disgust, "You do know that we're Shinra employees, right? This dingey, fake-ass place is only able to exist because of us!"

Kalika glowered, her crimson eyes flashing with hatred and resentment. "Those are the rules in _my establishment_ , whether you're Shinra or not has _no relevance_ in the matter. Weapons at the door, or leave, those are your choices."

The whole cafe was watching at this point, to see what would happen between the bakery owner and the two Shinra swordsmen. In times like this, Kalika was happy her eyes were such an unnerving color; as she stared down the two men, refusing to break eye contact, she could tell they were beginning to become uncomfortable with her gaze.

"Tch, fine, this place isn't worth it anyways." the first guard spat, turning on his heel to push past his buddy and make his rather over exaggerated, and disgraced exit. His buddy wasn't far behind.

The cafe door slammed and Kalika flinched at the sound. The entire cafe turned to face her, the silence was deafening, the whispers that started up afterwards even more so. A deep blush colored her face as the young woman hurried back through the swinging kitchen door.

"Venti double mocha frappuccino for Reika!" Anri called, breaking the silence as some sense of normality came back to the flow of the cafe.

"Did you know she had red eyes? How scary…" one such comment made it through the crack in the door.

Kalika fisted her hands over the decorating table, "Calm down, it's not worth it…" she hissed to herself. Don't they know that her eye color wasn't a choice? It wasn't fair to be judged on something she had no control over. Her hands relaxed as she took a deep breath. Life wasn't fair, there was no use getting upset about it. She smiled contentedly, at least not while there were cupcakes to decorate.

Grabbing one of the cupcakes, the blue haired woman got back to work, and soon the incident with the comment about her eyes was all but forgotten. The noise and the din of the busy cafe melted away until Kalika was once again lost in her own world.

Once the cupcakes were finished, she took out a ball of dough that had been proofing in the fridge overnight and after deflating it with a quick hit, she placed it into a lined loaf pan and set it in the oven to bake fully. Then she took out another ball of dough, and began to chop it into halves, and then quarters until she had eighths remaining in front of her. Lightly brushing them with some olive oil, she finished with a dusting of sesame and poppy seeds before putting them aside to await their turn in the oven.

The work continued with croissants, and biscuits until it was time to pull the fresh loaf out and place it to cool while the smaller buns took its place.

"Hey, Kali!" a cheery voice called and her concentration was broken. Glancing up, the blue haired woman saw Anri standing in the doorway with a cheery grin, "It's almost two, but the cafe has died down, I'm going to take a break and go grab some lunch, do you want anything?"

"No, I'm fine, thank you. I'll watch the front while you're gone." Kalika responded as she took off her apron that protected the black bandana around her chest and the blue button up shirt she left open.

"Okay, see you later! Don't scare anyone away while I'm gone!" the cheery girl called as the door jingled her escape.

As Kalika sat down on the bar stool behind the register, she noticed that her coworker had been right, the bustling crowd had all but disappeared. Only two tables were occupied; one with a solitary man reading the newspaper by the window and another with a group of girls giggling excitedly over their desserts and sugary coffees.

Taking a look at the desserts display, the young woman noted that they were beginning to run low on a few items and made a trip into the back to retrieve more from the fridge. The bell jingled as she returned to the front, "Welcome!" Kalika called out to the newcomers over her shoulder as she used her back to open the door separating the kitchen from the dining area.

"Woah! Look at these Angeal! They look so delicious!"

The young woman looked up to see a boy's face almost completely squished against the glass of her pastry display case, his breath was fogging up the glass as he ogled the wide variety of desserts held within.

' _Puppy…'_ was the only thing she could think as she blinked in surprise.

"Zack, we don't have time for idle stops like this, we need to get back to headquarters." a deep commanding voice spoke slightly to her left and when she turned to see who it belonged to, Kalika dropped the tray she was holding which clattered noisily to the counter in front of her.

SOLDIER, First Class, Angeal Hewley.

She could feel the blood rush from her head leaving her slightly dizzy, as he turned his attention to her. His eyes, they were a bright piercing blue that could only come from Mako. She couldn't draw her gaze away. The world was drowned out by the sound of her own heartbeat. His mouth moved as his eyebrows angled downwards but everything was growing blurry and she was having trouble keeping balance.

Kalika's vision turned white as she fell to the side. Her mind knew she was falling, but her limbs refused to move. Wind whistled in her ears, somewhere in the distance there was an exclamation of some kind before she was cushioned by something soft. It smelled nice too, it reminded her of home, of greenery.

"Hey! What's the matter, are you okay?" a deep voice rumbled in the vague distance. Two fingers appeared under her neck against her pulse. With a jolt, Kalika came back to awareness as she stared into two glowing blue eyes framed by a wreath of raven black hair.

_Angeal Hewley, SOLDIER, First Class._

He had caught her. She had fallen and he had caught her. A deep blush spread up her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.

"Hey Angeal, what happened?" A second head appeared from behind Angeal, more bright blue eyes and black spiky hair.

For a brief moment to address his companion, the First Class SOLDIER looked away, but before he could respond, the door jingled after someone's arrival. "Kali, I'm back! I also grabbed you something 'cause you probably haven't…" Anri trailed off when she noticed the situation.

"It's not what it looks like!" Kalika squeaked as she quickly freed herself from Angeal's grasp and took several wobbly steps away from him to lean against the bar stool she'd been occupying before.

There were several beats of confused silence between them before it was broken by the younger boy, "Angeal, you should be proud! She took one look at you and fainted, usually only Genesis gets that kind of reaction!" he was grinning ear to ear as Kalika turned even redder than before.

"Zack-!"

"-That's not what it was!" The First Class SOLDIER and the blue haired baker started at the same time, not caring about how it was rude -not to mention dangerous- it was to cut off this particular person, the young woman steamrolled through her sentence to clear her name "I fainted because i have a low blood sugar!"

"I knew it! You haven't eaten since before we opened! Jeez…" Anri cut before either of the men could speak up.

Three sets of eyes were on her all at once and she could feel the blood run from her face under all their combined stares. Each one had a different form of judgement from accusatory to confused concern.

"I'm sorry for the trouble, whatever you'd like to have, there's no charge." Kalika murmured as quickly as she could before making a hasty retreat into the back away from their prying eyes.

Voices called for her to stay, but she ignored them as she made her way to the back door to get some fresh air and solitude to sort her head out. How embarrassing! Sliding down the door, she put her head between her knees to hide the bright red blush that was rapidly heating her face and neck once again.

She'd fainted! _Fainted!_ _Right in front of Angeal Hewley of all people!_ Not only that, but then he'd _caught her, was_ _ **concerned**_ _for her_ and then the other one, Zack, thought she'd fainted because of an _infatuation_ with him!

She knew who he was, of course she did! There wasn't a soul in Midgar who didn't know the three First Class SOLDIERs. They were practically celebrities, the poster boys for the Shinra SOLDIER program.

Quietly screaming under her breath, Kalika couldn't decide what was the most mortifying, the fainting, the concern, or the wrongful accusation.

A metallic squeak was the only warning she had before a bump to the young woman's back sent her sprawling forwards, landing on the dirty pavement. "I keep telling you to stop sitting directly behind the door, how many times do I have to plant you face first in the dirt before you'll realize it's a bad idea?" Anri scolded her.

"This time it feels appropriate. I wish I could become the dirt." the young woman spread her arms out to either side as if to embrace the ground, "Please swallow me, anything's better than going back in there."

The brunette scoffed, "You big baby, you're worrying about it too much, besides, everyone's left anyways."

"I'm still not going back in, please just let me wallow in peace for a little while longer."

"Nope! You need to get your butt back in there and eat the sandwich I had enough forethought to buy you."

As if in anticipation of receiving sustenance, the blue haired woman's stomach growled loudly. There was a long silence between them before Kalika relented, "Fine…"

Grudgingly she picked herself up off the ground and dusted the front of her clothes off as best she could, there were a few dirt smudges and blemishes, but those would be easily hidden by her apron. She turned back towards the door where Anri stood, one hand on her hip and the other on the door handle. Glowering half heartedly at her friend Kalika followed her back into the bakery.

As a force of habit, she began to make her way into the kitchen, but an arm blocked her, "Uh-uh, nope, you're going to sit outside and take a break to eat that sandwich like I said."

Blue eyebrows lowered over red eyes, "But I can eat just fine back here. Why do I _need_ to be out front?"

Green eyes sparkled with an intention the young woman couldn't quite discern, "Because there's nowhere to sit back here, silly! This is to be your break! Don't worry, there's no one out there, and I closed us for a little while, so you don't have to worry about anyone else coming in while you're out there."

"I suppose that's fine then…"

With one last too-wide smile from the young girl, Kalika was pushed through the swinging doors into the main area of the cafe. Instantly her blood ran cold and her hair stood on end.

The cafe was indeed closed and everyone had left. Everyone _except_ the two SOLDIERs.

Zack waved at her from one of the tables where he was happily munching on a blueberry scone with a red velvet cupcake sitting untouched on a plate. Angeal sat reclined in the chair across from his protege, one arm resting on the table and the other resting in his lap. A simple ceramic mug was placed in front of him, steam rose from the contents. A small coffee, Kalika guessed.

Turning back around, the young woman intended to make a hasty retreat back into the kitchen only to be confronted with a still grinning Anri. Suddenly everything made sense, "You lied to me." Kalika hissed as quietly as she could.

"Oh, I don't know about that, here! Don't forget this!" a sandwich was pushed into her hands and the blue haired woman's mouth dropped open. She had known that Kalika would try to make a break back into the kitchen and prepared for it.

Clearly she had underestimated this young girl's scheming abilities. She would have to be careful in the future.

"Now get out there! You look crazy right now. I'll stay back here and mind the rest of the blueberry scones." with that the door swung shut in her face and Kalika was left to face her fears.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around and made a direct path to the stool behind the register but was stopped when an excited voice broke the silence of the room, "Come sit with us Kalika! Take a break, get your strength up so the sight of Angeal doesn't-ow!" the older man in question had smacked him lightly with a fist. Likely to silence him quickly and effectively, Kalika was grateful before he said something that would embarrass everyone.

"That's enough out of you for now until you apologise." he stated firmly and the young boy looked up.

"Apologise?" his head cocked to the side in confusion.

"Puppy…" Kalika murmured under her breath before she could stop herself.

"Yes, you accused her of something that was not true and then took advantage of her hospitality. Now," Angeal pulled the younger man up by the scruff of his uniform and then forced him into a bow, "apologise and thank her for the sweets."

"I'm sorry I said you had fainted because of Angeal, it was insensitive of me. Thank you for your hospitality. The scone and the cupcake are delicious!" Zack announced formally and somewhat disjointedly, the juxtaposition was so great that Kalika was at a loss for what to say for several beats of silence.

"It's okay, no harm done. I'm glad you like the pastries. I make them all myself every morning." she smiled, genuinely pleased that he was enjoying her baking so much.

"You have true skill." Angeal stated, his compliment completely genuine, "Please join us. It's the least I can offer to make up for this one's poor behavior." he once again clapped a hand on Zack's shoulder.

To continue refusing their offer to join them at this point would be rude and with a small sigh, Kalika sat down in the empty chair at their table. This was beyond surreal, here she was having lunch with two members of SOLDIER, one of which was a First Class. Not only that but he was so nice and down to earth, nothing like the arrogance and pride she anticipated.

Once again, a blush threatened to make itself known on her face, and in an attempt to stave it off she took a larger-than-normal bite of her sandwich. It wasn't fair! How could someone be so good looking _and_ so genuine at the same time.

"You said you make all these yourself? That's incredible! You must work really hard every day!" Zack exclaimed with a mouthful of food. Angeal frowned disapprovingly over the rim of his coffee cup at his young protege's lack of manners.

Kalika smiled despite the food in her mouth and quickly swallowed. "I really couldn't do it without Anri to help me. She works really hard as well to be responsible for the front area here, I just wish I could hire someone to help her." the young woman sighed as she took a much smaller bite of her food this time.

"You are the manager, then?" Angeal asked to keep the conversation going.

"The owner," she corrected him, "this is my cafe, I built it up from nothing with the money my parents left me after their death. It's always been my dream to own and run a bakery. It's hard work every day for sure, but I couldn't be happier to do it." Kalika grinned as she looked back at her two companions

Like this, without anyone else, the world was falling away. There was no Shinra, no SOLDIER, no troubles at all. It was like three equal people, enjoying each other's company. The flowery scenery and blue sky depicted on the walls gave the open feeling they were no longer in the metal Midgar but somewhere far away.

"I'm sure your parents are very proud you are following your dreams." Angeal stated with an underlying air of respect. The young woman looked up, meeting his glowing blue gaze with her crimson.

"I can only hope that they would be proud of my accomplishments, but even if they're not, I am. This place brings happiness to many people every day, including myself, and I couldn't ask for more." Glancing at the clock on the wall, she noted that it was getting late. "Although I should get back to work now, we'll have to reopen in soon for the evening crowd."

"We also need to return to headquarters, Zack make sure not to leave a mess, we've already taken advantage of their hospitality enough." Angeal ordered and just like that the illusion was shattered. Shinra exists, they were both prominent members of SOLDIER and she was naught but a common baker. The gap between them was too wide to even consider building a bridge.

The young boy, in haste to finish his cupcake, tilted his head back and dropped the remaining third into his mouth. Kalika had to fight the smile that threatened the corners of her mouth while Angeal could only look disappointed.

"It'sh re'lly gud. Th'nk you!" he said through his mouthful of cupcake which Kalika was somehow able to translate to "it's really good. Thank you". The breach of etiquette was the final straw for Angeal who grabbed the young boy by the scruff of his uniform and dragged him around the table towards the door.

It was at that moment that Kalika saw the swords that occupied the racks she'd had specifically installed to hold weapons safely. Two were typical SOLDIER swords, but the third was a large buster sword. It was sharpened on only one side and had an intricate gold hilt. Angeal attached it and one of the standard swords to his back.

"Wait!" Anri called from the back as she burst through the swinging doors, a wrapped package in her hands. "Take these too, make sure to share them and maybe mention our name for us, kay?" she winked and held out the wrapped box.

Angeal looked unsure, but Zack was all too eager to accept the package, "You bet! We're going to tell everyone we know about this place! Right, Angeal?"

"It would be dishonorable not to do so." The older man turned back to the blue haired woman and offered a small bow, "Thank you for your hospitality, it will not be forgotten."

Kalika smiled brightly, "Anytime."

As the SOLDIERs exited, Kalika watched them leave. She wondered vaguely if she'd ever see them again but as the door shut and they disappeared from view, any fantasies she'd entertained of speaking with them again evaporated. Soon today would fall into happy memory that she would carefully lock away and only bring out to admire every so often.

Confectionary affection indeed.

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**That's it for now! Can't wait to get started on the next chapter from here!**

**Please leave me a review if you'd like! I'd love to hear your feedback. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Dumbapple Tarts

**This took me longer than I would have liked, but I'm back with the next chapter! This one is jam packed with Angeal and Zack content! Be sure to grab a cold drink and a snack to enjoy!**

**Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed after the first chapter so far! If I missed responding to anyone's review, I'm sorry! I'll be going back over the reviews for the previous chapter, and if I missed you, I'll send you a response!**

**Enjoy!**

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It was nearly impossible to forget that Angeal and Zack had stopped by her bakery.

Kalika and Anri worked themselves to the bone and were only just barely able to keep up to the new level of demand. Sometimes it was so busy during the morning that there was simply not enough stock left to open in the evening; not even if Kalika remade everything again.

At first the business had been making a considerable income, and even now, it was till turning a higher profit than the past, but the costs of running the establishment had also increased. Sometimes there was simply not enough ingredients or prepared pastries left to open again in the evening. Usually this ended up with the business losing money.

Not only that but the increased workload had Kalika and Anri burning out more quickly than they could regain their strength. Kalika's usual late nights and early mornings preparing dough and bakery items were quickly turning into working around the clock. It wasn't unusual for her to doze off kneading a bread dough only to wake with it on the floor or ruined from over working it.

Anri was the same, for the first time since she was a new employee, she was making mistakes with drink and food orders. As a result, the customers were becoming upset and more than once a scene with raised voices had caused Kalika to intervene and forcibly remove the troublemakers.

It was getting to the point where an extra set of hands was a necessary addition; preferably a set with some muscle behind them. Kalika sighed heavily as she once again wiped the chalk board clean. Her handwriting was never great to begin with, but her hands were still sore and shaky from the kneading she had just finished.

The sun was beginning to set, and the bakery had been closed all day. Kalika had spent all night and day preparing every bit of dough, batter, and meringue for the no doubt absolutely insane day tomorrow. If her usual delivery of supplies was on time, she would be able to open again the day after, but if not… well she would come up with something. She always did.

Slapping her cheek, she forced herself to stay awake for just a little while longer, she just needed to finish this task and then she was finished—

*KNOCK KNOCK* "Kalika?" a voice called from outside.

The young woman jumped at the sudden noise which caused a series of events to follow:

First, her precariously placed step ladder slipped off the edge of the counter, causing her to scream in fear and drop all her supplies creating a racket.

Second, the door burst open just as she desperately tried to remain balanced, her hands reaching out for anything that would keep her from the inevitable.

Third, she fell.

The young woman braced for the cold, hard impact of the floor, but instead was met with a warm embrace. Black hair and blue eyes entered her vision and it was with a sudden sinking pit in her stomach that she knew who it was.

Angeal Hewley.

"You should be more careful." He intoned lowly, his chest vibrating with his voice, "We need to stop meeting like this."

Kalika stared up into his bright blue eyes as her head rested on his chest. "I don't know, I think it's kind of nice?" the words escaped her mouth before she could think twice and immediately could feel her face begin to heat up in a deep, mortified blush.

Angeal blinked once in disbelief as his eyebrows disappeared into his hairline.

"Better be careful, Angeal or pretty soon she's going to be falling for you!" Zack called excitedly, breaking the silence.

The black-haired man, sighed deeply and screwed his eyes shut, clearly stressed, "Zack. What have I said to you about appropriate behavior and comments?" he prompted as the burly SOLDIER made a move to stand, his steady grip assisting Kalika to stand along with him.

There was a heavy sigh from the opposite side of the corner while the younger boy replied monotonously, "You said that I need to think before speaking and that words have impact. I can't take back anything once it's been said, sometimes the best choice is to remain silent." the energetic boy leaned back over a bar stool and with both hands over his face, "I can't help it though, you two make it so easy!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands to the ceiling.

"You need to learn self-restraint if you intend to be an honorable member of SOLDIER in the future." Angeal scolded and judging from the young boy's reaction, this seemed to be a common occurrence between the two of them. Somehow, that did not come as a surprise to the young woman.

"I know, I'm doing my best, Angeal! Sometimes it just bursts out before I can stop it!" Zack turned to Kalika, "By the way, we're here to return this! The scones were delicious, thanks!" he held out the same container that Anri had given them upon their departure from their last visit.

The blue haired girl blinked once in surprise as she accepted the box; a reusable one that was not their typical to-go boxes. That sly girl, she had planned for this too. "Thanks, I'm glad you liked them." she looked up at Angeal, "I'm sorry for the trouble of making you come back here to return it. It would have been fine if you just disposed of the container instead." she also took the opportunity to notice that it had been washed as well. How… odd. Somehow, she just could not picture prominent members of SOLDIER doing something as ordinary as washing dishes.

The image of Angeal in a pink, frilly apron suddenly was at the forethought of her brain and she blushed deeply once again.

"It would be wasteful to merely dispose of an easily reusable box such as this." Angeal stated plainly. His eyebrows lowered with concern as he pulled a glove from his hand and gently placed his palm on her forehead, "You're quite red, are you feeling alright? Have you eaten anything today?"

"I - I think so? I've been busy today and haven't had a chance to sit down for long." Kalika blurted as she froze in place. Should she move away from his hand? Or would that be rude? Why was he being so friendly? Was he always this caring to strangers? Especially a stranger that just hit on him a minute ago. The blush returned full force to her face with that traitorous thought.

Before she could panic any further, he pulled his hand away and once again donned his glove. The young woman breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Busy? But you're closed!" Zack spoke up, and cocked his head to the side, "Wait, why are you closed? Shouldn't this place be hopping right now?"

Both sets of bright blue eyes settled on her with varying inquisitiveness. Zack's was honest confusion but Angeal's was less readable. His mouth was set in a straight line across his strong jaw while his eyes held a spark of suspicion that set a cold sweat down Kalika's spine.

Oh boy, how could she explain this without outright blaming them for the necessary closure and the empty ingredient cabinet?

"I… well… you see, ever since your last visit, business has been crazy. Lately I can't keep to the hours we normally hosted. Sometimes I'm up all night preparing!" Her words were spoken with a joyous tone, but from the lack of change in both of their expressions, she was not convincing them.

Angeal opened his mouth to respond, the frown of concern deep on his brow, but was interrupted by a fourth, unfamiliar voice, "Oh my Gaia, you're _Angeal Hewley First Class SOLDIER!_ You're back! I can't believe it, I gotta tell everyone!"

Kalika felt the blood leave her face as her attention immediately snapped to the tall, blonde woman currently standing in the open doorway attempting to snap a picture of the two men.

"No, pictures without permission and we're closed, please leave!" She ordered, pushing past Angeal to confront the woman directly.

"What? But it's the middle of your posted hours and your door is open! You can't throw me out, do you know who I am?"

"Nope, and I'm sorry you've forgotten. Now, please get out, we are closed, and you are trespassing."

The woman's brown eyes flashed with indignation, "Listen, I don't know how you get off talking to customers like that, but—"

"No buts! I asked you to leave. I won't ask again." Crimson eyes sparked with anger as she stared the other woman down.

Red lips opened to argue further, but she was cut off by a deep, commanding voice "You have been asked to leave, you should comply with that request."

A quick, furtive glance backwards revealed Angeal standing straight, his burly arms crossed over his chest and a dark glare adorning his features. A shudder wormed its way down Kalika's spine. Scary, was the only thing she could think.

There was a beat of silence between the three of them. The woman suddenly looked appropriately ashamed of her behavior and without another word scuttled away.

The second the woman was outside, Kalika grabbed the door and threw it shut behind her. Much to her surprise, it bounced back open and that's when she noticed the lock was completely broken. Around the spot where the deadbolt should have been was a hole in the door frame and splinters scattered along the floor.

She shut it again, it bounced backwards.

She applied a little more force, it bounced backwards again.

Frustration and resentment burning within her, she tried again; it bounced backwards.

With all her strength, she slammed the door shut and before it could bounce back, shoved a chair underneath the similarly broken and limp door handle.

Defeated, she braced her hands against the door and let her head hang between them.

"It would probably be a good idea for you both to use the back door to leave. You'll attract less attention that way… plus, it seems this one is broken now." Kalika murmured quietly, not daring to look up in fear that they would see the unshed tears in her eyes.

"Kali…? Is everything… okay?" Zack's genuinely concerned voice broke the silence.

A lump caught in her throat and without looking at either of them she walked to the nearest table and sat down on one of the chairs, burying her face in her hands. She could not cry, not here, not with Angeal Hewley First Class SOLDIER and Zack Fair here to witness it. One shuddering breath later gave her the confidence to speak.

"Yeah, I'll be fine… somehow, I always am."

A shadow fell over her, "Is there anything we can do to help?" Zack asked.

"No, but thanks." Kalika waved him off but much to her surprise, he caught her hand between two gloved ones of his own. Surprised, she looked up into an uncharacteristically serious expression on the young boy's face.

"I swear on my honor as a SOLDIER I will do whatever it takes to help you, Kali. You're one of us now, right Angeal?"

"Don't swear on your honor lightly, Zack."

"I mean it! I do!"

Angeal nodded, seemingly accepting his young protégé's resolve. "How long has your door been broken like this?" the First Class inquired.

Kalika sniffed as delicately as she could as she attempted to take her hand back from Zack, but it was held tight. "It was fine earlier today; it was only just now that something seemed to be wrong. There was a hole where the deadbolt was and splinters from the door frame were scattered along the floor…" the young woman snapped her jaw shut when she realized the implications of her words.

Angeal's face darkened once again and his eyebrows angled inwards at a dangerous angle as he stared his young protégé down. There was a heavy beat of silence as Zack seemed to realize what was going on, "Oh… well… you know… SOLDIER strength, am I right?"

"No! It's fine really!" Kalika jumped up and did her best to placate the visibly upset SOLDIER, "It was old and in need of replacement anyways, I can probably write the replacement off as a business expense. I'm sure Zack didn't mean it."

Angeal sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "His intentions aren't the issue. SOLDIERs have enhanced senses and abilities. If Zack does not learn how to control these properly, he could end up hurting himself or worse, others." He looked up, "I apologize for the door, Zack you're going to suspend a fifty-pound weight in a squat today to make up for your lack of control this evening."

Zack groaned and Kalika winced sympathetically, "I don't think that's necessary, is it? Maybe since you're really strong you could help me with something, and we call it even?" she suggested. "I still need to finish rewriting that menu sign. We're opening with a new item tomorrow."

Angeal looked over his shoulder to see the unfinished chalkboard, "Is that what you were doing when you fell?"

An embarrassed blush crept over her face once again, "Yes, it's too high for me to reach on my own. So, I usually have to get creative… with a step ladder… on the counter."

"That sounds very dangerous." The raven-haired man lowered his eyebrows in concern and disapproval.

"Maybe you can help Angeal! Just lift her up and she'd be able to reach no problem!" an excited Zack exclaimed and, in his enthusiasm, squeezed her hand that was still held captive.

The young woman sputtered, "I- that's not what I meant, but maybe if one of you could just hold the ladder steady? I usually have Anri to help me, but I gave her the day off today."

Angeal turned and with one hand lifted the step ladder she had been using, revealing one of the legs to be broken off, "For the sake of your safety, I would advise against using this again."

"Oh… I see…" the young woman murmured as she worried her bottom lip, how was she going to get up there now?

Zack was practically vibrating with excitement from beside her. A quick glance to him revealed that he was glancing quickly between the two of them biting his lip in anticipation. He was planning something, if only the blue-haired woman could figure out what it was…

"To make amends for the broken door, I would be willing to lift you as Zack suggested." Angeal offered as he moved the broken ladder out of the way.

"I mean, are you sure? I don't want to be a burden. Are you sure I won't be too heavy?"

The burly man grinned and chuckled deeply. The genuine mirth revealed pearly white teeth and the genuine good-ness that radiated from him was unlike anyone she had ever met before. "I'm sure."

Kalika blushed for what seemed like the tenth time in under an hour, "I – Well… if you're sure, I guess. I need to get the chalk." Walking forwards, Zack finally let go of her hand and Angeal stepped out of the way to let her pass behind the bar. Grabbing the chalk from the ground and the eraser cloth, she turned back to the First-Class SOLDIER, "Okay, I'm ready, how would you like to do this?"

Angeal stepped forward and for the first time she noticed how _tall_ he was. She had never felt so small compared to someone in her life, he dwarfed her in every sense. She was eye level with the middle of his chest, and he was easily twice as wide as her. Another blush adorned her cheeks as he knelt to one knee, "Sit on my shoulder and I will take hold of your legs."

Nodding, she turned around and as instructed, gingerly sat on his shoulder, doing her best to put as little weight on him as possible. Two arms wrapped around her knees, locking them in place and the next thing she knew, he was lifting her into the air.

Sucking in a breath she flailed, unbalanced, for one moment before a hand on her thigh steadied her. Angeal Hewley, First Class SOLDIER of Shinra was _touching her leg_. She tried not to think about how her butt was on his shoulder and instead focused on finishing the sign as quickly as possible. Her hands and shoulders cramped but she did her best to legibly scrawl the newest addition to her menu.

"Dumbapple tart?" Zack exclaimed, "Angeal, didn't you grow up in Banora?! That's so cool!"

"Is that true?" Kalika inquired, looking down to meet the bright blue eyes of Angeal.

"It is, both Genesis and I grew up there. His parents had the best Banora White tree, every summer we would take as many apples as we could and sit in the branches eating them." A small, nostalgic smile pulled up the corners of his mouth.

"That changes everything then, let me down, I'm all finished now."

With one swift movement, the hands disappeared from her person and for a brief moment, she hung suspended in the air before being gently lowered to the ground. The black-haired SOLDIER stared down at her with a quizzical expression on his face. Setting the chalk down she made to pass him, "Have a seat. I'll be right back," and disappeared into the kitchen.

The fridge opened with a hiss, a quick scan through the contents revealed her prize. Pulling two small tarts from their tray, Kalika put them on a plate and made her way back to the front. The fridge closed with a satisfying click behind her.

"Here, to thank you for helping me with the sign, please be the first to try a tart!" placing the plate on the bar counter, she waited excitedly for them to each take one. "They're Banora White apple tarts with some decorative white chocolate to counter the sourness and some edible gold sparkles for presentation."

Zack immediately grabbed one and in one bite put the whole thing in his mouth. His eyes lit up as he playfully slapped his mentor's shoulder, "D'ese are r'lly gud An'eal! You shou'd taste ish!" (translation: These are really good, Angeal! You should taste this!)

Angeal sighed in resignation as he took a tart, "Thank you, this wasn't necessary as it is us who are in your debt, not the opposite way around."

Kalika smiled brightly, "It's fine, really! Plus, I hope that I can live up to your memories of the times stealing and eating the apples."

With a small smile, he took a bite and instantly his blue eyes lit up with surprise, his eyebrows once again disappearing into his hairline. Swallowing, he turned back to the blue haired woman, "You have a true gift for baking."

Flushing for the umpteenth time that day, Kalika continued to smile, "I'm glad you like them. I'll package up one for Commander Rhapsodos as well and you can give one to him too!"

"How much do we owe you for the tarts?" Angeal asked as she pushed through the door to the kitchen.

"Nothing! They're thanks for helping me!" she called back as she began to package up the third tart and then returned to the front with it. Angeal stared her down, his mouth a straight line and his azure gaze steeled with his resolve.

"Please, it would be dishonorable for us to accept these gifts a second time. Especially when your door breaking was our fault in the first place."

Stumped, she could only stare. Never had anyone been so insistent on paying for a gift. "Don't be silly, these are gifts, do you insist for payment when you give a gift to someone?" she held out the tart wrapped in a white box with _Confectionary Affection_ stamped on the sides. "Here's Commander Rhapsodos's tart, try not to squish it if you can, and now it's getting late. I imagine you need to get back to Shinra, since the front door's broken and likely a crowd of fans outside waiting for you to exit, follow me to the back door."

With that, she turned on her heel and pushed open the swinging door and motioned for them to follow her. Zack hopped up immediately, but Angeal took a moment to gather himself and follow. Passing through the kitchen and a small hallway with a set of stairs leading to the second floor, they came to the back door. Pushing it open revealed the dirt yard and receiving area for her shipments of ingredients.

"Thanks again for the treats, Kali. They were delicious as always!" Zack called as he jumped down the short flight of stairs, an arm extended in a cheery wave.

"Thank you for your hospitality. You honor us with your generosity. Genesis will enjoy this pastry, I am certain." Angeal stated solemnly, his eyes shining with the depth of his gratitude.

"Any time, come by again soon. Preferably without causing any trouble this time. Using the back door might not be such a bad idea to avoid any drama like with that woman earlier." She pointed to a black rectangle with a button in the middle, "Next time you're by, just ring this doorbell and I'll let you in."

Zack grinned devilishly and took a breath to make a comment, but before he could utter a sound, Angeal put a hand over the young boy's mouth to silence him. "Thank you Kalika, we will not forget your kindness today."

The blue -haired baker could only manage a small wave as they turned to walk away. Zack continued to wave enthusiastically until they were out of sight behind the fence. Closing the door, her knees felt weak. The sound of her name on Angeal's lips created a feeling in her like she'd never experienced before. Sliding to the ground she replayed the memory in her mind until she was sure that it would be with her forever.

She had offered for them to come back again, but it was such wishful thinking she did not dare hope too much. Once was a coincidence, twice was a pattern, but three times was a dream and nothing more.

But oh, how she loved to dream.

* * *

**Oh they'll be back, but in the meantime, there's other shenanigans that need to happen first :3c**

**Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you'd like! I always enjoy hearing your thoughts!**


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